Melampus gained the power to understand the language of animals and insects when snakes licked his ears. Scene from Wrath of the Gods.

Melampus (meh-LAM-pus). Seer who cared for snakes whose mother had died. Melampus awoke to find them licking his ears and thereby gained the ability to understand the language of animals and insects. It was Melampus who cured the daughters of King Proetus of Tiryns when Hera caused them to roam the countryside in a frenzy thinking they were cows.